The Scent of Spring
January 9, 2010 by Waverly Fitzgerald
Filed under SIGNS OF THE SEASON, WAVERLY'S BLOG
This gorgeous photo of an Indian Plum leafing out was taken by Alyss Broderick and is one of many beautiful seasonal photographs in the new Calendar Companion Weekly Planner.
Although I haven’t seen any Indian Plum, I’ve already encountered the fragrance that I call the Scent of Spring.This year I smelled it for the first time on January 8, just outside the front door of an apartment building in my neighborhood.The next earliest smelling (can’t call it a sighting) was January 18 in 2004, so this is really early.
The next night, I noticed that the sweet box (Sarcocca hookeriana var. humilis, also known as Christmas box) outside my apartment building was already in bloom. When the landlord redid the landscaping around our apartment, he planted a row of sweet box.The first year it didn’t bloom at all but this year it is going crazy.
When I smell this lovely, flowery scent, I know spring is coming soon. What is the first sign of spring where you live?
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Spring is still a few months away here, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, but it’s nice to think about. I always notice that the cold seems warmer in March – there is a gentleness to the cold – it doesn’t try to seep into your bones as much. That’s the first real confirmation to me that it won’t be winter forever. Spring comes in fits and starts here – a week of warmth in February, followed by more snow, a few more weeks of warmth in March and the early bulbs pop out, more warm than cold in April and the trees begin to bloom, almost always warm in May with a very occasional flurry of snow early in the month. Then June is usually all warm, but the mountains may get snow, you never know.
Thank you for this beautiful site and moment to reflect.
The song of the Red Wing Blackbird!
Oh my goodness – spring? I’m just delighting that our stream has frozen over so it’s really truly winter now!!!! I don’t want to even think of spring yet: winter is my favorite season. We just moved here in aug so I don’t know what spring smells like in Maine.
Where I live, the scent of spring won’t be here to stay for a couple of months yet – though it will probably slip in to tease us for a few days in the form of a midwinter thaw.
When the scent of spring does arrive, it is usually the scent of mud.
Thank you for sharing glimpses of winter. A frozen stream does sound lovely. Here in the city of Seattle, we rarely see frozen water–a few fountains maybe, or the shallow reflecting pool in the park.
I noticed I jumped across the whole season of winters. Not really my favorite, though it is usually mild in Seattle. I have to say I felt spoiled almost, when my cousin sent me photos of the 42 inches of snow in Lead, South Dakota (that was a town my dad once lived in).
But I am still enjoying the scent of spring. It is the first promise of the successive waves of flowery fragrances that will last into September (sometimes even longer–there are some fragrant camellias that sometimes bloom in December down the block) which I love so much.
We live in Monitor, WA., a little Agricultural area between Cashmere and Wenatchee, WA. The Wenatchee River runs past our home, about a block away, bordered by tall fir trees. Every January, the Eagles return to hunt for fish in the river and hang out in the fir trees. They don’t seem to mind winter’s last roars of snow and sleet at all. Before we see them, we can hear them screeching and squealing at each other. They are the first harbinger of spring, here.
Here in Hangzhou, considered the subtropics, spring arrives sometime in early February. This year, one day in the last week of January, I awoke to gusty winds and a warmth that stunned all Hangzhovians. People walked around with surprised looks on their faces all day and some stood on the bridges to let the wind play with their clothes and hair. I returned home from marking exams — it is the end of the University term — and saw a flash of butter yellow as I passed the mailboxes in our building. I stopped and turned to go around and explore. Sure enough, soft yellow flowers had erupted on what looks like a Chinese version of forsythia on two bushes behind my residence. I drew a branch toward me and was more surprised by a faint, sweet smell of spring coming from each floppy blossom. I cannot describe the scent except it was a cross between Jasmine and fresh grass. It may be a Jasmine derivative or sister plant. Moli hua — jasmine — is so beloved by the Chinese they have an ancient folksong devoted to it that is sung every year this time. It is Spring Festival here, Chinese New Year — the year of the Tiger. The celebrations last most of the month of February with the feasts and fireworks reserved for February 14th. It is my last few days in China as I am returning to the US after almost two years here. And I won’t forget that first burst of spring brought by the winds and the delicate fragrance clinging to those lovely yellow flowers. Gongxi facai – Congratulations and may you prosper!
Where I grew up in Massachusetts, winter’s end transitions perfectly into the beginning of the maple season, which is a season entirely distinct from spring. (Spring is when the daffodils bloom). During maple season, there is mud everywhere, especially between the sugar house and the kitchen. At least once a day my sisters and I trudge out with a plate of dinner for my dad, who channels sap, surveys thermometers, ‘aprons’ syrup, burns wood, and breathes in sweet sweet steam all day. In exchange for the pancakes, waffles, or French toast we bring him, we get fresh syrup for our own ‘breakfast for dinner.’
Now that I live in a snowy city, the warm season is marked by the disctint sound of skateboards wheels on ice-free pavement.
i can feel spring seeping into my life. i have already had the urge to clean out my nest and rid the home of winter collated clutter. the washing can now dry outside, a huge burden lifted from the fire being continually stoked, condensation dripping from the windows obscuring our eyes to the outside world. The delight in the oceans of snowdrops, undulating in the spring breeze, and the first of the bluebells and daffodils lifting their delicate necks to the warming sun, filtering through racing clouds dominating blue skies.. I am in love with the outside once again and find myself running from waterfall to fish pools, searching for mure signs of spring.
I live in Stuttgart in the southwest of Germany and Spring is nowhere here yet – we have had snow, snow, snow from November till now. Hopefully this is the last of it but I have spring flowers at hothouse temperatures in my kitchen! The backdrop of a snowy window to tall flowering daffodils and tulips is something special!
Here in Illinois spring is starting to poke its head out of the winter doldrums. As I have been having to do things around the farm I have been seeing the signs. A little black snake came out of its winter hiding spot to wriggle in front of me. The early spring calving season is here with 10 new babies so far. The robins have been here for a couple of weeks and yesterday I saw my bluebirds are back! YAY!
I observed the emerging signs of Spring at the coast at the point where Tomales Bay meets the Pacific Ocean. The wind was soft and breezy on the walk to the sand, the lupine appeared across the steep cliff rocks with soft and new growth. On the ocean, the waves were a glassy emerald green, almost transluscent. The tide pool rocks were covered in a thick green mat. The obvious sign of spring I encountered were the large white five petalled stars of wild strawberries shooting out in clusters from the rocks along my ascent back up from the beach. I also saw grazing elk and found them moving with grace and out of step with the hurried pace of my days in early Spring.
Beautiful Spring was awakening early here in the Pacific Northwest. On Vancouver Island, where I live, the crocuses were popping their cheery heads up by the end of January. A week or two later, Japanese Cherry Blossoms were scenting the air with their exotic fragrance and buds were happily appearing on the trees, though I witnessed the lack of pussy willows on the white willow outside my kitchen window with some apprehension.
Sure enough, then came the snow, blanketing everything in stuff just perfect for snowballs! No one was impressed, especially after a winter largely devoid of the stuff, but it was still beautiful to observe. Though gone in a matter of hours, and the mild temperatures returning, we are still apprehensive as we watch the snow levels on the nearby mountains’ trees.
A few days ago, I was looking out the side window of my bedroom while on a phone call with a friend. I was gazing absentmindedly over the yard, and suddenly was brought to full attention by the appearance of tiny birds on the ground many feet away. I could only clearly discern bright red bodies with round black heads. Robins??? They seemed to be picking at the grass; perhaps finding seeds to eat. It was a cold day, and their presence was a total surprise – and a very pleasant one that brought a much-needed bit of cheer to my outlook.
All of the yellow flowers are in bloom here – forsythia, daffodils and dandelions. Our pasture is a beautiful yellow field of dandelions at the moment.
Hello, Happy March!!
I live in N.E. Ohio and it is still on the cold side here.(although it was 70 downtown one day last week..silly weather!)I would not be surprised if it snowed again,Nooooooo
I am a Herb loving girl so i look forward to finding little new shoots of Chives.Mint and Catnip seems to magically appear within the next couple weeks too.
I also KNOW it’s Spring when i hear a certain pretty singsong bird in the morning..I wonder if the Red Wing Blackbirds visit me too? I am looking forward to finding out this year;)
Cheers to the Seasons~
Here in Wisconsin, the green has broken through. After a week of fog and moist air as the snow evaporated, the sun came out and everything was poised and waiting. Robins have been here for a couple of weeks, the mint is coming up in the yard. The south facing grass is
really greening quickly and the birds are making magnificent sounds. Have not heard the
spring peepers at the local pond, but that is my favorite sound of spring.
The weather is warming and the crocus have nearly faded…now is the time for daffodils, forsythia and hyacynthe. Birds returning from their wintering grounds are in abundance, singing merrily as they gather the makings of nests for their soon to be born hatchlings, and my young red tailed hawk seems to have found himself a mate. I even saw a pair of bald eagles spiraling earthwards with talons locked in their mating flight a couple days ago…such a magnificent sight!